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H00006283
Cl)e Litratp
oni)c
Ot)i0ion of ^ealtb ZUm^
anitietisltp of H^ortb Carolina
i 1
i
Form No.
Biennial Report
OF
The Eugenics Board
of North Carolina
JULY 1, 1942
TO
JUNE 30, 1944
R. Eugene Brown,
Secretary
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Members of Board and Secretary 4
Letter of Transmittal 5
Report of Secretary 7
Financial Report of Eugenics Board 8
Statistical Tables 9
EUGENICS BOARD OF NORTH CAROLINA
J. F. Owen, M.D., Superintendent, State Hospital, Raleigh,
ChairTYian
Harry McMullan, Attorney General of North Carolina
Carl V. Reynolds, M.D., State Health Officer
Ellen Winston, Ph.D., Commissioner of Public Welfare
F. L. Whelpley, M.D., Superintendent, State Hospital,
Goldsboro
R. Eugene Brown, Secretary
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
To his Excellency, J. Melville Broughton,
Governor of North Carolina.
Dear Sir :
I have the honor of submitting herewith the report of the
Eugenics Board of North Carolina for the biennial period dating
from July 1, 1942 through June 30, 1944.
Sincerly yours,
J. F. Owen, M.D.,
Chairman.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY
TO
THE EUGENrCS BOARD OF NORTH CAROLINA
The North Carolina sterilization law provides for the steriliza-tion
or asexualization of mentally diseased, epileptic and
feebleminded persons when it is believed to be for the best
interest of the mental, moral or physical improvement of the
individual ; or when it is believed to be for the public good ; or
when such individual would be likely, urtless operated upon, to
procreate a child or children who would have a tendency to
serious physical, mental or nervous disease or deficiency.
There are many misconceptions of the purposes of eugenical
sterilization. The operation for both men and women is now
comparatively simple. It has one effect only—it prevents
parenthood. It is not a punishment but, on the contrary, it is a
protection to the individual as well as to society, and therefore
should carry no stigma or humiliation. Sterilization is not a
solution for behavior problems.
Sterilization permits patients, who would otherwise be con-fined
to institutions during the fertile period of life, to return
to their homes and friends.
The North Carolina law is based on the principle contained
in the following quotations from Eugenics for March, 1930
:
"We do not know precisely to what extent mental defects
and psychopathic conditions are inherited. But we do know
that on the whole, feebleminded and insane persons who
are permitted to propagate their kind, raise families in a
most unfavorable home environment."
The effects of asexualization are more drastic than those of
sterilization. For this reason the Eugenics Board authorizes
this operation only under unusual circumstances upon the specific
recommendation of the examining physician.
During the biennial period ended June 30, 1944, a total of 269
sterilization operations were performed under authorization of
the Eugenics Board. Three hundred and twenty-eight petitions
for sterilization were presented to the Board for consideration
during this period, and the Board authorized sterilization in 309
cases.
8 Biennial Report of
Only eleven cases were presented to the Board without the
written consent of the parent, guardian, or next-of-kin during
the biennial period. In these cases the parties concerned were
given 15 days notice of an opportunity to be heard by the board.
Hearings were held in only two cases (one rejected—one ap-proved).
Therefore, it can readily be seen that if the case for
sterilization is properly presented, the cooperation of the family
can be secured in most instances.
The members of the Eugenics Board have attended the month-ly
meetings regularly in person or through duly authorized
representatives as provided by law. Dr. R. T. Stimpson of the
State Board of Health has represented Dr. C. V. Reynolds, State
Health Officer regularly. Honorable Harry McMullan, Attorney
General, has been represented regularly by Mr. J. E. Tucker.
Mrs. W. T. Bost who resigned as Commissioner of Public
Welfare, effective June 1, 1944, was succeeded by Dr. Ellen
Winston. Mrs. Bost served as chairman of the Board from the
time of its organization in 1935 until the time of her resignation
at which time she was succeeded as chairman by Dr. J, F. Owen,
superintendent of "the State Hospital at Raleigh.
FINANCIAL REPORT OF EUGENICS BOARD
Ite:m
7. War bonus.
1. Salaries _
2. Supplies and materials.
3. Postage, telephone and
telegraph
4. Printing and binding.__._
5. Subscriptions and dues..
6. Equipment
Total.
Expendi-tures
1943-44
The Eugenics Board of North Carolina
TABLE 1
Total Number of Sterilization Operations—By Origin of Petition and Type
OF Operation—July 1, 1942 through June 30, 1944.
Origin of I'etition
10 Biennial Report of
TABLE 3
Eugenic Sterilization Operations Pekfokmkd ix North Carolina 1929 to
June 30, 1944
The Eugenics Board of North Carolina 11
TABLE 5
Sterilization Operations—County Institutions
12 Biennial Report of
TABLE 7
Age, Sex axd Type of Operatiox of Persoxs Sterii.ized and Asexualized ix
North Carolixa—1929 to Juxe 30, 1944
Age
The Eugenics Board of North Carolina 13
TABLE 10
Distribution of Sterilization Cases with Reference to Mental Defect,
Origin of Petition and Marital Status—1929 to June 30, 1944
Mental Defect as Shown in
Petition for Sterilization
State
Inst.
County
Inst.
Non-
Inst. Total Married Single
Widowed,
Divorced
or
Separated
Cerebral syphilis with mental
deficiency
Cerebral arteriosclerosis
Congenital cerebral syphilis
Dementia praecox
Manic depressive psychosis
Psychosis with cereljral
syphilis
Psychosis with psychopathic
personality
Psychosis with epidemic
encephalitis
Psychosis with hereditary
syphillis -
Psychosis with mental
deficiency
Psychosis witli sypliilis
Psychosis undiagnosed
Psychopathic personality
Psychopathic personality with
mental deficiency
Epilepsy
Epilepsy with mental deficiency
Epilepsy with psychosis
Feeblemindedness
Total
1
1
1
126
119
44
7
14
14
1
103
43
10
447
936
5
60
66
1
16
18
2
488
538
1
1
1
131
121
1
45
7
18
16
2
119
66
12
995
1,540
1
1
59
60
4
12
3
37
9
2
85
283
65
53
33
This book circulates for a/2^week period and
is due on the last date staniped below. It may
be renewed for one additional period. The
fine for late return is ^^a day.
MAR 2 3 191
APR Z 7 198;
APR 5 1986
APR 1 2 li
APR25li
221999
*PR 1 2 im
T-\ji>^
BRARY
"IPR0 7
li'.'"-.^"
"f'l-TH SCIENCES IIBR4R
H00006283 J
HQ 750 .Al K86U.U 1935
North Carolina. Eugenics board
Eugenical sterilization in
North Carolina

H00006283
Cl)e Litratp
oni)c
Ot)i0ion of ^ealtb ZUm^
anitietisltp of H^ortb Carolina
i 1
i
Form No.
Biennial Report
OF
The Eugenics Board
of North Carolina
JULY 1, 1942
TO
JUNE 30, 1944
R. Eugene Brown,
Secretary
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Members of Board and Secretary 4
Letter of Transmittal 5
Report of Secretary 7
Financial Report of Eugenics Board 8
Statistical Tables 9
EUGENICS BOARD OF NORTH CAROLINA
J. F. Owen, M.D., Superintendent, State Hospital, Raleigh,
ChairTYian
Harry McMullan, Attorney General of North Carolina
Carl V. Reynolds, M.D., State Health Officer
Ellen Winston, Ph.D., Commissioner of Public Welfare
F. L. Whelpley, M.D., Superintendent, State Hospital,
Goldsboro
R. Eugene Brown, Secretary
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
To his Excellency, J. Melville Broughton,
Governor of North Carolina.
Dear Sir :
I have the honor of submitting herewith the report of the
Eugenics Board of North Carolina for the biennial period dating
from July 1, 1942 through June 30, 1944.
Sincerly yours,
J. F. Owen, M.D.,
Chairman.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY
TO
THE EUGENrCS BOARD OF NORTH CAROLINA
The North Carolina sterilization law provides for the steriliza-tion
or asexualization of mentally diseased, epileptic and
feebleminded persons when it is believed to be for the best
interest of the mental, moral or physical improvement of the
individual ; or when it is believed to be for the public good ; or
when such individual would be likely, urtless operated upon, to
procreate a child or children who would have a tendency to
serious physical, mental or nervous disease or deficiency.
There are many misconceptions of the purposes of eugenical
sterilization. The operation for both men and women is now
comparatively simple. It has one effect only—it prevents
parenthood. It is not a punishment but, on the contrary, it is a
protection to the individual as well as to society, and therefore
should carry no stigma or humiliation. Sterilization is not a
solution for behavior problems.
Sterilization permits patients, who would otherwise be con-fined
to institutions during the fertile period of life, to return
to their homes and friends.
The North Carolina law is based on the principle contained
in the following quotations from Eugenics for March, 1930
:
"We do not know precisely to what extent mental defects
and psychopathic conditions are inherited. But we do know
that on the whole, feebleminded and insane persons who
are permitted to propagate their kind, raise families in a
most unfavorable home environment."
The effects of asexualization are more drastic than those of
sterilization. For this reason the Eugenics Board authorizes
this operation only under unusual circumstances upon the specific
recommendation of the examining physician.
During the biennial period ended June 30, 1944, a total of 269
sterilization operations were performed under authorization of
the Eugenics Board. Three hundred and twenty-eight petitions
for sterilization were presented to the Board for consideration
during this period, and the Board authorized sterilization in 309
cases.
8 Biennial Report of
Only eleven cases were presented to the Board without the
written consent of the parent, guardian, or next-of-kin during
the biennial period. In these cases the parties concerned were
given 15 days notice of an opportunity to be heard by the board.
Hearings were held in only two cases (one rejected—one ap-proved).
Therefore, it can readily be seen that if the case for
sterilization is properly presented, the cooperation of the family
can be secured in most instances.
The members of the Eugenics Board have attended the month-ly
meetings regularly in person or through duly authorized
representatives as provided by law. Dr. R. T. Stimpson of the
State Board of Health has represented Dr. C. V. Reynolds, State
Health Officer regularly. Honorable Harry McMullan, Attorney
General, has been represented regularly by Mr. J. E. Tucker.
Mrs. W. T. Bost who resigned as Commissioner of Public
Welfare, effective June 1, 1944, was succeeded by Dr. Ellen
Winston. Mrs. Bost served as chairman of the Board from the
time of its organization in 1935 until the time of her resignation
at which time she was succeeded as chairman by Dr. J, F. Owen,
superintendent of "the State Hospital at Raleigh.
FINANCIAL REPORT OF EUGENICS BOARD
Ite:m
7. War bonus.
1. Salaries _
2. Supplies and materials.
3. Postage, telephone and
telegraph
4. Printing and binding.__._
5. Subscriptions and dues..
6. Equipment
Total.
Expendi-tures
1943-44
The Eugenics Board of North Carolina
TABLE 1
Total Number of Sterilization Operations—By Origin of Petition and Type
OF Operation—July 1, 1942 through June 30, 1944.
Origin of I'etition
10 Biennial Report of
TABLE 3
Eugenic Sterilization Operations Pekfokmkd ix North Carolina 1929 to
June 30, 1944
The Eugenics Board of North Carolina 11
TABLE 5
Sterilization Operations—County Institutions
12 Biennial Report of
TABLE 7
Age, Sex axd Type of Operatiox of Persoxs Sterii.ized and Asexualized ix
North Carolixa—1929 to Juxe 30, 1944
Age
The Eugenics Board of North Carolina 13
TABLE 10
Distribution of Sterilization Cases with Reference to Mental Defect,
Origin of Petition and Marital Status—1929 to June 30, 1944
Mental Defect as Shown in
Petition for Sterilization
State
Inst.
County
Inst.
Non-
Inst. Total Married Single
Widowed,
Divorced
or
Separated
Cerebral syphilis with mental
deficiency
Cerebral arteriosclerosis
Congenital cerebral syphilis
Dementia praecox
Manic depressive psychosis
Psychosis with cereljral
syphilis
Psychosis with psychopathic
personality
Psychosis with epidemic
encephalitis
Psychosis with hereditary
syphillis -
Psychosis with mental
deficiency
Psychosis witli sypliilis
Psychosis undiagnosed
Psychopathic personality
Psychopathic personality with
mental deficiency
Epilepsy
Epilepsy with mental deficiency
Epilepsy with psychosis
Feeblemindedness
Total
1
1
1
126
119
44
7
14
14
1
103
43
10
447
936
5
60
66
1
16
18
2
488
538
1
1
1
131
121
1
45
7
18
16
2
119
66
12
995
1,540
1
1
59
60
4
12
3
37
9
2
85
283
65
53
33
This book circulates for a/2^week period and
is due on the last date staniped below. It may
be renewed for one additional period. The
fine for late return is ^^a day.
MAR 2 3 191
APR Z 7 198;
APR 5 1986
APR 1 2 li
APR25li
221999
*PR 1 2 im
T-\ji>^
BRARY
"IPR0 7
li'.'"-.^"
"f'l-TH SCIENCES IIBR4R
H00006283 J
HQ 750 .Al K86U.U 1935
North Carolina. Eugenics board
Eugenical sterilization in
North Carolina